wonted

Definition of wontednext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word wonted distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of wonted are accustomed, customary, habitual, and usual. While all these words mean "familiar through frequent or regular repetition," wonted stresses habituation but usually applies to what is favored, sought, or purposefully cultivated.

his wonted determination

How is accustomed related to other words for wonted?

Accustomed is less emphatic than wonted or habitual in suggesting fixed habit or invariable custom.

accepted the compliment with her accustomed modesty

In what contexts can customary take the place of wonted?

The meanings of customary and wonted largely overlap; however, customary applies to what accords with the practices, conventions, or usages of an individual or community.

the customary waiting period before the application is approved

Where would habitual be a reasonable alternative to wonted?

While in some cases nearly identical to wonted, habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

When could usual be used to replace wonted?

Although the words usual and wonted have much in common, usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wonted His wonted improvisations and other departures from the script did not suggest his usual ease. Matthew Walther, TheWeek, 13 Mar. 2020 Egypt chose a different path, preferring to return to the wonted pain of dysfunctional autocracy and avoid civil war (although civil war seems even still to be creeping up on the Egyptians out of Sinai and Libya). Kenneth M. Pollack, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wonted
Adjective
  • Gunther's Ice Cream remained open as usual on Saturday following a fire that happened just outside the Sacramento staple.
    Richard Ramos, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Many of you might be more involved than usual with a parent.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Justin also strayed a little too far from ambrosia salad since his dish didn’t have the customary fluffy texture.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Even so, this play, made out of his Christmas Carol, had become a customary performance in Quincy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Some people don’t believe the current players support the ordinary people.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The price of Celsius crypto would go up, but it was being manipulated by those in charge, all as a way to get ordinary citizens to invest.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Everybody else was of course taller, but not in basketball’s conventional range.
    John McPhee, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Unlike conventional carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) systems, which require significant external energy to trap and process gases, the new gas battery converts the energy released during gas adsorption directly into electrical power.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Calls to the ships’ operators outside normal working hours either weren’t answered or weren’t immediately returned.
    Julian Lee, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Sanoja has primarily played third base this season, with seven of his nine starts coming there, but his last two starts came in center field on Thursday (to give normal starter Jakob Marsee his first day off from the field) and left field on Friday.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Time, for instance, is a fundamental concept that is at once enigmatic and commonplace.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
  • As that new thing became commonplace, the Rays would seek another.
    Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • My apprenticeship began with a simple disassembly, a typical exercise for new employees.
    Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Frazier described a typical pricing cycle pattern, noting that spot prices move first, before highway contract rates follow suit with a three-to-six-month lag.
    Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • This would be a moral response characteristic of a decent society, but not through force.
    Charles F. Miller, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
  • This was not as characteristic of earlier strains.
    Eva Flowe April 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wonted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wonted. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on wonted

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster